When You See Me
"We finally get a day off and you're going to train anyway?"
"Y-Yes, that's right"
Kiba looked at his team-mate with a combination of amusement and disbelief. She sure had gotten motivated lately. They had been training non-stop for the upcoming Chunin exams for the past month. Kurenai had been merciless, setting them training assignments that took them all day or longer. They all knew it was because Asuma's team had organized their training themselves, which left him with plenty of free time. Regardless they carried out the tasks because they knew that, as gruelling as they were; they'd be nothing compared to the punishment task.
Hinata waved after Kiba as he left the Hyuga compound. As she walked back through the estate towards the training ground out the back, she thought about all the training she'd been doing.
"I wonder if it's even making any difference..."
She glanced up at a window on the second floor, where her father was training Hanabi. Her little sister had apparently been progressing well with her taijtsu, and was now easily above Acadamy level. Hinata couldn't help but feel a little jealous; after all, it wasn't often that a younger sibling surpassed their elder at so young an age. But did she? Had Hinata not been training night and day to prove she could be strong too? Even her father had commented that she had certainly improved since she joined Team Kurenai.
She put the thought of Hanabi out of her mind. It was silly, comparing herself to her when they'd had different training regimes and methods. She fidgeted with the ends of her hair as she walked across to the heavily splintered training post at the far end of the grounds. Maybe he would compliment her on how strong she'd become. After all, it was because of him that she had run herself ragged, practising her family's techniques and honing her skills. She thought back to the day he left.
Neji had stopped their training early so she could say goodbye. She watched him leave but couldn't bring herself to bid him farewell. Once he was out of sight she made a vow:
"When you see me, I'll be stronger than you ever thought possible
When you see me, I won't be the frightened little girl from the Acadamy
When you see me, you'll admire me"
With this in mind she had poured her heart and soul into any mission her squad received, any training exercise Kurenai would dream up, any new technique she turned her focus to. And it was all for him. To make him see her as a strong shinobi; the way she saw him.